cream and sugar
by Saiyuri of the Red Shadow
Summary: Sometimes what you hate the most could turn out to be the best thing for you.


Coffee was perhaps Scott McCall's least favorite beverage of all time. It was too strong and no matter what was added to it the drink still came out tasting like disappointment and shame to him. Milk could soften the bitter edge and make it go down smoother of course but that was about all. He loved sweet things so sugar was a must (any other sweetener just didn't cut it) but no matter what it still came out tasting like ass (ass with milk and sugar is still ass no matter how you slice it).

So when Stiles tries to take (drag) him to the new coffee shop in town at the asscrack of dawn he's more than underwhelmed (and beyond frustrated).

"Come on, dude. This place just opened up and it has the best coffee that there ever was. Even someone with an uncultured palate as yourself can only bask in the resplendence of this most marvelous coffee drink!" Scott rolled his eyes.

"You're really taking this whole English major thing way to far, Stiles."

"Payback for all of the words of the day I had to memorize when we were studying for the SAT's? Remember "sesquipedalian" cause I sure do. It haunts my dreams." Scott rolls his eyes again and Stiles pulls him over to the counter. He smiles brightly at the barista.

"Good Morning Isaac. Can you get some java for my uncultured friend and I?" Isaac smiles and shakes his head.

"Oh Stiles, had I known that you'd be a regular I would've reconsidered opening this shop here." He teases. Stiles snorts and requests his usual.

"What would your friend like?" Stiles looks over to Scott as if he'd for gotten he was even there.

"Tell the man what you'd like, Scotty." Scott shrugs, looking a bit flustered.

"I dunno, just coffee I guess." Stiles rolls his eyes at him shares a conspiratorial look with Isaac.

"Uh, with milk," He adds hastily. Isaac gives him a warm smile.

"Is that all you'd like? Nothing sweet?" Scott is listening, he swears he is but Isaac's lips are moving and he has never seen a softer pair of lips move. It's like poetry in motion. So forgive him for flushing down to his chest and asking him to repeat his question.

"How about this. Tell me what you like and I'll see what I can do." Scott thinks for a moment. He's never really taken coffee seriously before but he guesses he could try if someone like Isaac makes it for him.

"I like chocolate?" He squeaks out. Stiles smirks at him and Isaac nods.

"I'll see what I can do." This time his smile is so bright it takes all the air out of his body like a punch to the diaphragm. He barely even feels it when the barista slips the coffee into his hand and wishes him a nice day. Stiles takes his other hand and guides him out.

"I'll be back tonight for my evening coffee, darling." He calls. Isaac shakes his head fondly.

"I don't take kindly to threats Stillinski!"

* * *

Scott McCall hate coffee. It's no secret to anyone. But when he takes the first sip (however scalding hot it may have been) he finally understands what all the buzz is all about. For two dollars and fifty cents it is the most decadent thing that he has _ever _consumed. The chocolate and the coffee come together in the most beautiful way. The cream (actual cream! not just half & half) is an amazing addition, balancing the rich dark chocolate and the bold flavor of medium roast house special. It's like sex but better (essentially sex with ice cream cake).

He can still feel Isaac's fingers on his own until the very next day.

* * *

"Do you want to fuck the barista? You've been staring at him like you're constipated and drowning at the same time. It's freaking me out."

"What? No! What the hell are you talking about?" Stiles raises an eyebrow at his hasty reply.

"Every time we go there you eyefuck him relentlessy. Staring at his lips, taking extra long to order, looking like you'd rather have him with whipped cream than any menu item–"

"That's not what's going on," Scott's ears are hot with embarrassment " I don't... I don't eyefuck Isaac." The last part comes out in a a harsh whisper. Stiles fixes him with a blank stare.

"Really?"

"Really."

* * *

He starts showing up every day, twice a day, **without **Stiles.

* * *

So yeah...

He _might _have a crush on Isaac.

But it makes sense right? I mean he's got these beautiful green eyes that sometimes look like amber in the right light. And he's got this perfect smile(with perfect straight white teeth) that makes his stomach do backflips. And he has these long, graceful fingers that feel so _warm_ when they brush against his own. And his lips look so fucking soft.

He thinks about what it would feel like to kiss him.

* * *

"You should just ask him outalready. You've been there every day this month and you've spent over $400 dollars on coffee. Just save some money and admit the real reason you go there everyday." Scott gave Stiles a pained look.

"I can't. I'm just the weird guy who buy his coffee everyday. Not a good basis for a relationship." Stiles gives him a withering stare..

"Excuses, excuses, McCall." Scott gives him a look that only the saddest, sickest, puppy in the universe could replicate.

"I just don't know what to do Stiles, I hated coffee, now I love it and he always tries out these new recipes on me first. He made Mexican chili chocolate coffee for me with heavy cream. How did he even know I was Mexican? I don't even speak Spanish. And he smiles at me all the time and it's so nice." And he means it. Even Allison didn't smile at him like that. So warm and unguarded. Genuine.

"You should just ask him out to dinner or to the park. Since you're such a puppy you could share a plate of spaggetti with him while a live band sings 'Bella Notte' in the background. It'll be adorable and you'll mix the two greatest things in the world: food and kissing."

"It's not that easy. I'm not a dog and this isn't movie. Guys like me don't end up with guys like him." Stiles raises an eyebrow at his friends self-depreciation.

"You should still try. You'll never know otherwise. Plus your pining is pathetic."

"Thanks for the confidence boost."

"Anytime."

* * *

Isaac is way out of Scott's league. He's tall and lanky and gorgeous, literally gorgeous. His eyes are the loveliest shade of green he'd ever seen. And he has the most amazing lips ever (no contest, everyone else go home). He wears the nicest clothes (his scarves are a thing of beauty) and no matter what his white shirts always stay white from the time he ambles in a 6:30 am till the time he drags himself in at 8:30 pm. He stays perfect all day long (it's a little infuriating).

But ultimately he's a self made man. He's only like twenty three years old but he owns the coffee shop and mans it all day long, alone; even through the lunch time rush and that gets fucking crazy. He makes the best coffee _ever _and is always trying new ingredients and specials to keep his clientele on their toes.

Scott just works a nine to five (that he hates) and hasn't done much of anything with his life. He finished college and just got an average job lifting crates and stocking shelves at a 24 hour grocery store. He was supposed to be training to be a vet but instead he just arranges dog food. Nothing is going the way he expected his life to go and can't even know if he could make Isaac happy at this point.

He doesn't know if he could feel any worse than he does right now.

* * *

That night he get's overtime and has to work a sixteen hour day. Stiles won't answer his phone at 1 am so he has to walk the two miles home on his sore legs.

* * *

"Listen dude, you have been staring at him for over three months. Just talk to him!" Scott is at a bit of a loss. He doesn't quite know what to say or do. He talks to Isaac everyday. They talk about the weather and other general small talk topics. Stiles assures him that this is unacceptable and that he should have at least asked for his number by now.

"It's not that simple."

"It's only cause you keep getting in your own way. If you just asked him out the worst he could say is no."

"Exactly! But if I never ask I could still live in a world where he could say yes." He knows he sounds a bit delusional and depressing but that's just how he feels.

"Okay, Schrödinger," Stiles snarks, still looking quite unimpressed with his best friends lack of confidence.

"Stiles it's not that easy! We can't all just hook up with our TA's and then somehow live happily ever after!"

"Derek is a very, very different story. Instead of the cutesy flirting that you two keep doing he eye fucked me for damn near the entire semester. I thought he was hot he thought I was hot; so you know what I did? I put on my tightest skinny jeans and most form fitting white T-shirt, the one that come up to show off my tummy a bit, and stayed after class to ask him questions about the material. You know how long it took him to decide to fuck me? Ten minutes! Meanwhile you and cutest barista in the world have amazing romantic and potentially sexual chemistry and you don't even have the nerve to ask him out once. Even though he tries out special recipes just for you makes sure your fingers _always _brush against each other for any possible reason. He looks at you with this adorable look that only people with crushes, i.e. you, give their crushee's. So for the love of God: _ask him out!_"

Scott just stares at him mouth agape for several long seconds. Stiles's is right. He probably should just take his advice but it's been really hard to deal with his last break up (it's pretty difficult to recover when a your girlfriend's dad threatens to castrate you with his gun). Even if it's been a year he still doesn't feel quite ready for anything more than casual friendships (or Stiles, but he's been there for more than a decade he might as well keep him).

"I still don't know..."

"Listen, Scott. You're worth it. You deserve to be happy. Even if you hate your job and don't get to see your mom as much, and haven't quite gotten to do what you want at least you're trying. You work harder than anyone I know, myself included. I can't understand why you would deny yourself even the simple pleasure of a date, ONE date with a guy who obviously likes you too. Don't think so poorly of yourself man, you're too awesome for it."

* * *

Scott finally has a day off, unfortunately (blessedly), Stiles is off on a lover's rendezvous with Derek and will probably be gone for the rest of the weekend. Scott doesn't mind actually. He's getting cable and high speed internet installed in his apartment and a folder full of porn to go through. But spending three days straight alone in his apartment is a personal 'no no' so he's more than fine with spending the entire day at the coffee shop and looking up veterinary internships for the summer. He's already talked it over with his boss at work so he can work there part time instead of killing himself with 50-hour weeks.

The main one he's looking at is run by a Dr. Allan Deaton, who seems friendly enough and was very helpful when he called asking for an opening. He suggested he do a proper application and call him after it was sent out and suggested a number of other clinics in the area for him to apply to just incase he can't hire him there.

Scott hasn't felt this hopeful in a long while.

* * *

Ten coffees and twelve hours later he's shaky, overly energized and exhausted all at once. He's sent out every application, talked to Doctor Deaton, read every article for The New York Times from the past week (they have a pill to cure HIV, who would've thought?), and updated his resume (he's had a lot of jobs since he was thirteen). And is finally ready to go home.

He realizes belatedly that he and Isaac are the last one's left. It's about ten minute till closing and he's making one more coffee. Scott honestly hopes he's making it for himself because he'll feel terrible if it's for him. Even still he walks up to the counter a jittery smile.

"Goodnight." Isaac looks back at him and slides the coffee over to him.

"This one's one the house. Caramel Creme with Hazelnut. Two sugars." Scott doesn't really know what to say. He takes the coffee in his hands then stares at it for a moment, then looks at Isaac. Stiles's voice is ringing in his ears saying DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! and before he knows it he's telling Isaac that he's really hand some and asking would he like to go out some time and reassuring him that it's totally okay if he doesn't want to and that he won't come by again if it makes him uncomfortable and did he mention how attractive he is?

The blush covers his entire body and he is so embarrassed with himself when his brain finally catches up to his mouth. He wants to apologize but Isaac's hand is on his hand and his other hand is behind his neck pulling him closer and then (holy christ) they are kissing. Not just a peck, not just a smooch, but a lovely long kiss the type romcom's love to pass off as legitimate (isn't it funny that his life would become a romcom?) but it's wonderful and he is warm and soft and happy with the turn of events and he doesn't even realize that Isaac has pulled away from him until he's back again,

and again,

and again.

"I thought you'd never ask." He murmurs in between kisses. And Scott isn't sure what to do but smile into the kiss and hold him as best he can over the counter. But they kiss and kiss and kiss, and Scott wonders why he didn't do this sooner.

"Come home with me." Isaac whispers and Scott nods, still to overloaded to form anything resembling speech. But when he nods the worlds biggest smile spreads across Isaac's face.

Scott feels like things are looking up for him.


End file.
